Calgary Kinsmen Club donation to food bank will help feed Calgary families

The statistics are staggering.

The Calgary Food Bank’s emergency food hamper program distributes up to 700 food hampers every day to families who need food support.

The Kinsmen Club of Calgary mobilized to help during Saturday’s Kin Kindess Day by presenting the food bank with a cheque for $20,000.

Betty Jo Kaiser with the Calgary Food Bank says this donation is fantastic. “First of all, for every dollar that’s donated we can distribute $3.50 worth of food so we’re going to be able to really stretch this cheque.”

Kinsmen presented the Food Bank with a cheque for $20,000 Saturday. (Photo courtesy: Wendell Tenove, Kinsmen Club of Calgary)

Frank Symons has been a member of the Kinsmen Club of Calgary for 10 years.

He says the food bank is on the front lines helping Calgarians and the club felt it was important to partner with them.

“Certainly in terms of providing to the community’s greatest needs the Calgary Food Bank has really been working hard to help Calgarians,” says Symons. “We as a club, due to our Kin Kindness Day which is today, really felt it important to support the Calgary Food Bank.”

Kaiser says it’s concerning to learn just who needs their help.

“Thirty per cent of the folks that are accessing the Calgary Food Bank now do list work, full time work, as their main source of income so what that really means is paycheques are still not stretching and folks are really struggling to make ends meet,” she says.

Kaiser says they wouldn’t be able to feed Calgarians without support like this from the community.

“We really appreciate it, to see the community come together like this and support those who are struggling to get food on the table it means the world,” she says.

This donation comes as the Kinsmen Club of Calgary marks 100 years in the city.

“This year in September we’ll be celebrating our 100^th year of providing services to the community in meeting the Calgary community’s greatest need and supporting our community,” says Symons.